Don't Thank Me, Really
by Suffering Angel
Summary: A casual conversation between Billy and David sends one of them on a guilt-trip in light of the other's oh so grateful smile. Set between V2's issues 9 and 11


I don't own YA.

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><p><strong><em><span>Don't Thank Me, Really<span>_**

Labored breaths rang through the hull of the spaceship, left with but one occupant. "Everyone out!" the child-like Demigod ordered earlier, shooing everyone save himself and his would-be pupil. A frustrating would-be lesson later and Loki too was gone, leaving Billy on his lonesome to catch his breath and recover. Those were the hardest lessons, dealing with what he lacked the most - control and finesse, and they took more out of him than he cared to admit. Or was it that he still hadn't regained his powers yet, he thought and looked down at his hands. Were his powers still affected by Mother? Disrupted by her? Or was he clinging to that to excuse his shortcomings? He growled in frustration, eyes closed and fists clenched. This won't do at all, he thought. At this rate, they'd never fix anything, let alone figure out if Teddy-

The world suddenly went dark when a heavy, fluffy thing fell on his head. Billy pulled off what turned out to be a towel and then blinked up at the cold-looking can of soda that was offered to him. The person behind the offerings was newest member David Alleyne, and Billy couldn't help but be surprised by this fact. David looked down with his usual calculated, almost odd stare and Billy couldn't be bothered with that undertone quality that appeared whenever David looked at him ever since Teddy left.  
>That thought alone made Billy's throat tighten and so he managed but a small 'thank you' as he took the drink. If nothing else, it offered a distraction, something to toy with.<p>

"I take it the ban's been lifted?"

"No angry frost 'giant' blocking the ship's entry, no." David replied and sat down, eyes trained on Billy, who did all in his power to not meet David's gaze.  
>"Any progress?"<p>

Billy filled his mouth with soda, stalling the answer.  
>"I like to think so, but Loki's keeping a poker face. I'd have better luck figuring it out for myself if I went back to New York and saw how long I lasted this time around."<p>

David nodded and crossed his arms. "That sounds about right. Mind telling me what he's been teaching you? I can't _feel_ it, but I can offer theoretical cross-references, at least."

Billy remained silent for another moment, but then gulped a mouthful with a heavy sigh.  
>"Picking up potato-chips and the marbles Loki <em>lost<em>, guessing which card he picked... which he'd always hide in his glove or sleeve or hood. Lousy sneak... I can't tell if he's teaching me magic or how to be a con artist."

"Probably both, knowing him." David frowned but for a moment. He returned to a more business-oriented demeanor before long. "It's not the first time I've seen such training, though. A lot of people start with small exercises that require precision-"

"To better control and grow more familiar with the power, I know..." Billy growled and stared down at his free hand. Control, was it...  
>Something sank inside him, frustration giving way to dread.<br>"Say, David... you're about as knowledgeable as Strange is, right?"

David took a moment to assess the look in Billy's eyes before nodding. "About, give or take some thing I'm sure would have made more sense had I the power to back them up. What's on your mind?"

There was another silence under the excuse of another sip and wiping of sweat.  
>"Do you think I could do things unintentionally? Like, want something without wanting to <em>spell<em> it... but it'll still happen?"

There was something awkward that crossed David's face and made Billy feel even more wary.  
>"You did use to start spells with '<em>I want<em>-'... right?"

"Used to..." Billy tried, sounding quite desperate. It was enough to make David gulp and move uneasily in his seat.

"I won't lie to you. It's possible."

"...heh." A tired, hollow chuckle. "Figured as much. Don't know why I thought you'd say otherwise."

_Hope_, David knew, but kept that to himself.  
>"This is about Teddy, isn't it?" He heard himself say after a long moment of suffocating silence. Billy stared at him in awe, then hid his eyes behind his hair, and then-<br>And then, he laughed, catching David by surprise. What didn't come as a shock was how bitter the sound was.

"Heh... smartest guy in the room _is_ smartest guy in the room... or am I just that obvious?"

David tensed.  
>"I'm sorry."<p>

"...thanks." Billy muttered back once anxiety subsided into melancholy. He leaned back, head resting against the wall as he looked up. Even though David was just at the end of his sight, and quite easy to ignore, the guy wasn't done with him yet.

"I'm sorry because... I knew."

It took a while for Billy to look back down at him.  
>"Really." The word was quite neutral, as he wasn't certain of how to feel. David's sudden reluctance to look at him wasn't helping, either.<p>

"When we were trapped in Mother's dimension, we had a... heart-to-heart of sorts, and he told me he was worried about it."

Billy's fists clenched tightly enough for his fingers to dig into his palms.  
>"I see." Again, with the blank voice. It made it harder for David to go on, but a part of him refused to let him fall back. Not when Billy was in such a desperate state.<p>

"I was the one who told him to leave. I'm sorry."

A part of him expected an immediate response. Probably a loud one, all around emotional. Accusations, no doubt. Blame. David braced himself, but for the longest while, nothing came, barely even a change of expression. And then-

"Don't apologize." Billy's voice again was stable, but not like before. It was honest, was the best way David had to put it. Honest, sincere - and oh so miserable.  
>"He has a habit, especially lately, of keeping to himself. Usually he'd crack after a while and talk to me, but..." He trailed off, eyes staring at the empty can he still held onto. "But I guess he didn't trust me <em>enough<em>. I can't blame him, all things considered. And frankly? If that's how he feels? ...the farther apart we are, the better, until we can work this out, and put this behind us properly."  
>His voice died down yet his lips remained parted as though he had more to say. He didn't, though, and instead met David's eyes.<br>To David, it felt as though it was the first time he had a really good look at Billy, and he found himself slightly dumbfounded, mostly at himself.

"It's something we needed. So... thank you, David."

_I don't think they see it's only perfect because of you_ - David's own words came back to haunt him, making his insides into knots. Never before had he seen Billy so sincere, so peaceful, so mature, and oh so very lonely and sad. Yet he only thought of his own wants at the time, and once the chance presented itself, he-

"I am so, _so sorry_, Billy." David insisted softly, but was spared having to explain himself further. Loki barged in, demanding dinner, and the rest of the team followed suit. David turned back to his previous conversation partner, only to find Billy had already retreated under his hood, making sure he wouldn't have to make eye contact with anyone.


End file.
